Steve Prescott

Although he was initially deemed too small to make the grade by St. Helens,[8] Prescott secured his future at the club with some impressive performances for the reserve team.[7] He made his début for the first team in September 1993 against Leigh, and scored his first try later that year against Hull F.C.[10] He made 15 appearances and kicked 29 goals during his début season, playing as a winger,[7] or deputising for Dave Lyon at fullback.[11] Although there were still concerns about his size,[12] he established himself as the team's first-choice fullback during the 1994–95 season, with Lyon moving to the centres.[10] On 20 December 1994, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 50–22 victory over Batley in a Regal Trophy third-round replay. A couple of days later, he was rewarded with a new four-year contract.[13] He was a near-ever present throughout the season, appearing 34 times and scoring 20 tries.[14] Steve Prescott played fullback in St. Helens' 16-25 defeat by Wigan in the 1995–96 Regal Trophy Final during the 1995–96 at Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield on Saturday 13 January 1996.[15]

Prescott won his first silverware during the inaugural Super League season in 1996, scoring four tries against the Sheffield Eagles in the penultimate game of the season as the club went on to secure its first league championship since 1975. He also played for St. Helens at fullback in the 1996 Challenge Cup Final, scoring two tries in the first seventeen minutes and helping his team to a 40–32 victory against Bradford Bulls.[5] At the start of the following season, Prescott, who was reportedly one of the lowest-paid first team players at the club,[16] was transfer listed at his own request after failing to negotiate an improved contract with the club.[17] He remained in the first team however, and was part of the side that won the 1997 Challenge Cup, once again defeating Bradford Bulls in the Challenge Cup Final. The rest of Prescott's season was interrupted by a number of injuries, and on 25 July 1997 he played what would be his last game for the club in a 70–6 defeat against World Club Challenge opponents Auckland Warriors.[10] In November 1997, he was signed by newly promoted Hull Sharks, along with Alan Hunte and Simon Booth, for a combined transfer fee of £350,000.[1] In his 117 games for the club, he scored 52 tries and kicked 66 goals.

In February 1998, Prescott made his début for Hull F.C. in the Challenge Cup against Whitehaven, and scored his first try for the club in the next round against Ellenborough Rangers. In April 1998, he scored two tries against the Sheffield Eagles in his first Super League match for the club, and became the club's regular goal-kicker later that year. In 1999's Super League IV, Prescott missed two months of the season through injury due to a dislocated elbow. With Hull F.C. struggling near the bottom of the table, and the club being unable to afford his wages, Prescott confirmed he was likely to leave when his contract expired in the winter.[18] Hull F.C. won their last match for the season against the Sheffield Eagles, with Prescott kicking 6-goals, and finished in 13th place – one position above bottom club Huddersfield Giants due to a superior goal difference.

Prescott signed for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in 2000, scoring 3 tries in 25 games, but his contract was terminated after one season to ease the club's financial problems. He subsequently rejoined Hull.[19] In April 2001, Prescott was one of 12 former Wakefield Trinity Wildcats players to take the club to an employment tribunal claiming unfair dismissal, and was awarded compensation after the club was found to be in breach of contract.[20]

At the start of the 2003's Super League VIII, Prescott scored a hat trick in the opening Super League fixture against former club the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. On 26 June 2003, two weeks after signing a new contract with Hull FC,[21] Prescott played his last game for the club, also against the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, scoring two tries and six goals in a 44–4 win[14] before sustaining a career-ending knee injury a week later while representing Lancashire.[22] Despite only playing 19 games, Prescott scored 216 points – the highest total in his career that he achieved during a single season,[5] and finished as Hull FC's second highest try scorer for the season with 18 tries.[23] He made a total of 107 appearances and scored 56 tries during his two spells at Hull FC.

In August 2007, Prescott set up the Steve Prescott Foundation, which aimed to raise funds for two organisations: Christie Hospital, a leading cancer treatment centre in Europe, and Try Assist, the Rugby Football League's benevolent fund. To raise funds, Prescott went to organise a number of charity boxing tournaments and rugby league games, with a number of Prescott's former teammates taking part. He also took part in a series of challenges, including running in the London Marathon, and cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats while completing the National Three Peaks Challenge en route.[6]

He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours for services to rugby league and charity.[33]

Shortly after Prescott's death in 2013, the foundation had raised almost £500,000.

Steve Prescott died on 9 November 2013,[34] more than seven years after his diagnosis with cancer. In February 2014, it was confirmed that Prescott's former clubs, St Helens and Hull, would compete annually for the "Steve Prescott Cup" in tribute to the player.[35] A petition with over 12,000 signatures was also sent to the Rugby Football League (RFL), calling for the Man of Steel award to be renamed in Prescott's honour.[36] In March 2014, the RFL officially announced that the award would be called the "Steve Prescott Man of Steel" from the 2014 season onwards.[37] The Saints Way Bridge at Langtree Park was also renamed the Steve Prescott Bridge in tribute to him.[38]